


Kivela: The Lion’s mate

by ThaliaofCarim



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Cullen cares for OC, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, OC feels safe around Cullen, OC is a MGiT, Other additional characters in the story but not mentioned in tags, Protective Cullen Rutherford, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Strangers to Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-06-25 04:48:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19738621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThaliaofCarim/pseuds/ThaliaofCarim
Summary: Soulmates aren’t a thing, at least that’s what Kivela believed until she suddenly arrives on a world that she believed only fiction and awakens with a strange mark on the back of her right shoulder. A mark that identifies her as the rightful soulmate to her former video game crush: Commander Cullen Rutherford, who, in turn, wonders just what kind of joke the Maker is playing with him.As far as Cullen can tell Kivela is basically hopeless when it comes to learning how to defend herself with a sword, shield or even daggers and he knows for a fact that she does not have magic at her command, but his opinion of her slowly changes after he decides to try and get to get to know her. But when her past comes back to try and bite her in the ass, Cullen decides that Kivela just might need his protection. Besides, they are soulmates after all and the lion protects what is his.





	1. Prologue

”Commander!” A woman’s sharp tone caused the one whose title was ”Commander” to look over and see a dark-haired woman striding over towards his location with a purpose in her steps he had grown used seeing from her. 

”Seeker Cassandra?” he replied in question as the woman halted before him. ”Is something the matter?” 

”Come with me. There is something that must be discussed with you down in the stocks where that prisoner is. The woman.” She swiftly told him as his brows came together. Handing the control of keeping an eye on the training of the recruits over to his second, the Commander followed Cassandra towards the cells where a single prisoner, a strangely dressed young woman, was being held. 

”Might I inquire what is wrong with her?” 

”You mean that despite the fact that she has yet to awaken?” Cassandra asked as he frowned now. 

”She still hasn't awoken?” A sudden spike of fear yanked at his heart. It was never a good sign when someone had been found passed out from injuries that caused them to be near death’s door, but a full two weeks had passed and hearing that the young woman still hadn't awoken was a reason to be fearful.

”She has not and it is troubling to both the healers and Adan, as well as to Solas,” Cassandra sounded worried for a moment. ”The healers and Adan are ensuring that she gets the necessary nutrients she needs to survive, but Solas has made a discovery that has Leliana and I, as well as Solas, himself, greatly confused.”

”What do you mean?” 

”Despite her outward appearance of looking purely human, Solas cannot find her in the Fade as she sleeps.” 

”What?!” the Commander stopped then, causing Cassandra to also pause in her tracks. 

”It is true, we have had a couple of other trustworthy mages try to seek her out, but they could not find her either.” Cassandra frowned as she watched the Commander absorb all of this information. 

”But you said she is human. So how can she not be found in the Fade?” 

”Solas would likely be the best person to tell you. As would the Herald, as he too has tried to seek her out to no avail.” With that, they continued on to the stocks where they descended down to the area where the young woman was being held. As they arrived, two pairs of eyes, one set a crisp blue while the other was a dark green, turned towards the newcomers and a sigh escaped one of the people. ”How is she?” 

”Unchanged Seeker,” the person with the blue eyes responded as the Commander took in the man’s appearance. The person speaking was as tall as a human man but his ears gave away what he truly was as no human had pointed ears. This was an elf (a rather bald-headed one but still an elf) and he was frowning. ”She has not stirred, but her breathing is stable once more.” 

”Once more?” Cassandra inquired as the elven man nodded. 

”The Herald and I have figured out why she has not awoken and thus we have decided to keep a close eye on her.” 

”What’s wrong with her?” the Commander inquired now as his gaze fell upon the prone young woman, only to feel his chest constrict. She was beautiful, that much he could see in the dim light but he forced himself to pay attention to the elven man as he spoke once more. 

”It has come to our attention that, along with the injuries she had sustained, the young woman’s body was, and still is, fighting off sickness.” 

”Then we must move her!” Cassandra realized the danger that the cells now posed to the younger woman’s health. 

”That wouldn't be a good idea,” now the other man spoke up as all eyes turned towards him. ”Unless we have something heavy to blanket her in, moving her would likely make her situation worse as she needs to stay warm.” 

”But Herald!” 

”Trust me, I would like to have her moved to a place where she could be kept warmer by means of a fire and not the glyphs Solas and I have been using, but this illness has only just started from what we have taken note of and to move her now with as cold as it is, would be a death sentence.” 

”Is there truly no way to safely move her?” 

”If we could wrap her up in a heavy blanket, and have someone far stronger then either Solas or I carry her who is of Fereldan decent, as- no offense Commander- Fereldans are just hot-blooded bastards.” 

The Commander bit back a chuckle. He wasn’t offended by what the Herald had said as the man was right in a way, he was, in truth, rather amused by it. The Commander was of Fereldan decent and so could claim that what the Herald said of Fereldans being ”hot-blooded” damn near truth as it was rarer for him to be cold when compared to most others in the town and outlying camp who weren't of Fereldan birth (which was, of course, the majority of the town and camp). "Find a blanket and I will carry her to the only free cabin we have left."

Everyone turned to look at the Commander then, "Are you sure? Don't you have more important things to do, Commander?" the Herald inquired as the Commander frowned.

"Normally yes, but the sooner she is moved to someplace where she is able to fight off illness, the sooner she can awaken and we can speak with her," What the Commander wasn't saying was that he felt an attraction to her, he could feel something pulling him to her. He wasn't sure what the pull was exactly, but if he had to venture a guess it was likely something to do with the sudden burning sensation on the back of his shoulder that had started up the moment he had entered the room. 

The Herald shrugged then, ”Alright, Cassandra?” 

Understanding what the man wanted, Cassandra turned and left the room to call for a heavy blanket to be brought. After receiving the blanket, Cassandra walked back into the room and proceeded to wrap the younger woman up as the Commander removed what little armor he did wear and had a soldier take it to the command tent. Once all that was done, the Commander walked over to where the woman lay and the burning sensation in his shoulder worsened, though he chose to ignore it as he carefully scooped her up and carried her out of the cell and pulled her as close to him as he could the moment he stepped outside. Walking swiftly towards the cabin that was empty (and was near the Herald’s own cabin), he soon arrived and with Solas and the Herald using their magic, they swiftly sent the chill of the empty house away and soon had the bed warmed and a fire crackling inside of the hearth, but even as the Commander lay the young woman down as gently upon the bed as possible, he struggled to remove his gaze from her face. ”Cullen?” 

”I’m sorry!” the Commander, now revealed to be named Cullen, turned his attention towards the Herald who had a slight smirk on his face. 

”Don’t be, it rather entertaining to watch you as you stare with such a tender gaze at her, but then again, why shouldn’t you? She is your soulmate after all.” 

”My what?” 

”You can’t tell me you haven’t felt the pull to her since you laid eyes on her!” The Herald was fully amused now as the Commander’s cheeks tinted pink. ”Oh, this is going to be enduring!” 

”But how do you know that she is my soulmate and not the soulmate of someone else?”

Solas’s brow shot up as an unamused look passed upon his face. ”Cullen, we have checked. Well, not so much the Herald and I as Sister Leliana did. She has confirmed that this young woman bears the same soulmark as you, same spot and same design.” 

The Herald spoke now before Cullen could get the chance, ”Now, if you please, Commander, return to your duties so Solas and I can get back to work on making sure she gets better, hopefully before he and I leave for the Fallow Mire.” The Herald physically shivered at the mention of that place (Cullen really couldn’t blame him as the name of the place sent a shiver down anyone and everyone’s spines). ”When she awakens we will send for you, of that, I can promise.” and just like that, Cullen was chased out of the cabin and while he understood why it was needed, he almost, _ALMOST_ , pouted as if he were a scolded puppy. Shaking his head, Cullen turned and headed for the training grounds with his head spinning with all the wonders he had about the unconscious woman now being tended to.


	2. One

The next few days seemed to drag by for Cullen as he waited for the young woman to awaken, but when he was finally sent for he knew it meant one thing: She had finally awoken and while he was eager to meet her, he also kept in mind that she was only now able to recover from whatever illness was ailing her and was likely to still have the illness within her body. Walking towards her cabin, Cullen found himself wanting to tend to her while she was ill, but he highly doubted that the healers would appreciate him interfering like that. Upon entering the cabin, Cullen looked over to see the Herald speaking with the young woman, who was looking flushed and still weary and watched as the Herald turned to him with a smile. ”Speaking of! Cullen, you're just in time to take my place!” Turning from Cullen, the Herald frowned as he reached over to check her forehead. ”Your fever hasn’t broken yet, but with luck, it should here in a few days.” Turning from her to Cullen, the Herald spoke again. ”Commander, I’m sure that while I am gone you and your dear soulmate will be spending time getting to know each other and so I’ve left instructions for everything that she needs on the desk and for the love of the Maker: make sure she stays in bed until her fever, AND cough,” The Herald shot a look towards the young woman who returned with a black look to match, ”are gone.” 

Cullen fought back a smirk as he watched the irritation pass on the young woman's face. ”I will try, Herald, but I can’t make any promises.” 

”That’s all I can honestly ask of you. Just... Make sure she takes the required potions and gets some broth in her.” With that, the Herald began to leave only to stop at the door and smirk back at the two as Cullen walked over to speak with the young woman. ”Oh and make sure to properly introduce yourself.”

Cullen watched as the Herald left and looked at the young woman who was glaring after the other man. ”As much as I can see how badly you want to strangle him, I would ask that you don’t as we still need him.” Cullen spoke as he took the seat that the Herald had left near the bed while the young woman looked towards him. 

”What if I gave him a black eye?” 

”I’d let that pass,” Cullen smirked as he met the young woman’s eyes, only to see something he had NEVER before seen. Instead of her irises being just one solid color like everyone elses, her irises were both a sapphire blue mixed with an almost dark lavender purple.

”What?” 

”I just...” Cullen suddenly found himself unable to speak a full sentence. Clearing his throat, he attempted to speak again. ”Are you aware that your eyes are both blue and purple?” 

”Until this very moment? No, I wasn’t.” She looked away for a moment, ”Can you attempt to describe them to me?” When he described what her irises looked like she gained a thoughtful look for a moment. ”That's... Odd. I’ve never heard of that happening before. Well not for an adult, babies yes as all babies are born with blue eyes until their true eye color comes in...” 

”I’ve never heard of it happening with an adult either,” Cullen agreed with her as she looked back up at him. ”What is your natural eye color?”

”Depends.”

”On?” 

”How much sunlight, or really any form of light, is around me.” She watched his left brow raise and sighed. ”My original eye color is a naturally changing blue. They could either be a dark almost sapphire color, or they could be the color of the sky at mid-day.” 

Try as he might, Cullen just couldn’t imagine such an eye color and he had been around several blue-eyed people all of his teenage and adult life. ”Then it must have something to do with the Breach.” He watched her tilt her head for a moment and soon explained everything that had led up to that moment. 

”Then you may be right,” She frowned as Cullen watched her carefully before watching as it dawned on her that this was (technically) the second time someone mentioned the word ”soulmate”. ”Hold on, you're the second person to have mentioned the whole ”soulmate” thing. What's that about?” 

It was Cullen’s turn to frown now, ”Do you not have soulmates where you come from?” 

”No. And even if there is such a thing, that would is thrown around so loosely that its lost its true meaning and purpose.” 

She watched as Cullen became floored at that. ”Then... How do you have the same soulmark I do?” she looked confused again and he swiftly explained.

”That’s a soulmark?!” she asked shocked now as he nodded. 

”Do you not have those either?” 

”No. I honestly thought it was a tattoo I didn’t remember getting the night I got shitfaced drunk.” 

Cullen looked at her then, ”For some reason, I can’t see you getting that drunk.” 

The young woman chuckled, ”It was my birthday and I has some friends who just wouldn’t let me sulk around my home.” 

”Good friends.” 

”They were assholes, but even then I loved their idiotic asses.” Then a thought struck her, ”Before we forget, I know the Herald said to properly introduce ourselves, but I think he might have ruined that for you.” She watched as Cullen nodded to that in agreement. ”But you still don’t know my name and I should probably fix that.” 

”You don’t have to tell me it right now, after all, you must be getting tired.” 

”I am but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know my name.” 

When he tried to argue, no words came out of his mouth and he frowned, ”On that point, I will concede.” He watched as she chuckled tiredly, ”What is your name then, my Lady?” He smirked as she shot him a look that should have struck him dead right then and there. ”If looks could kill.” 

”You’d likely be dead ten times over by now.”

”True enough.” 

”But my name is Kivela. Kivela Willowdew.” 

”A unique name, any particular story behind it?” 

”Only if you count it as the name I chose for myself after I cut any and all ties with my...with my...” 

”With your family?” Cullen watched as she nodded. ”I won’t press you for the story behind that. I can see that it bothers you.” Cullen told her softly as she closed her eyes. ”Why don’t you lie down and rest, you're still ill and your body could use the rest to continue fighting and then recover from it.” 

”I guess your right...” she sighed as she managed to lay down with his aid. Watching her as she struggled against sleep for a moment, Cullen just couldn’t help but watch as she eventually lost the fight and smiled softly as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. But he did that for two reasons, one was to check her fever, the other was something he just couldn’t explain but he figured that it could have something to do with the fact that he didn’t like seeing how ill she was. In all reality, it actually had to do with the fact that she was _**HIS**_ soulmate, _**his**_ other half and because of it, he hated seeing her being so ill.

”I pray you get better soon, Kivela.” with those words barely having escaped past his lips, Cullen turned away from her sleeping form (though not without great difficulty) and read over the parchment with the Herald’s (and Solas’s) instructions on when she was supposed to take the potions and other medicines to aid her in succeeding in getting back into better health.


	3. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chapter for you with Cullen fluffies (and cuddles) and the first of many scenes where someone of Kivela’s past makes his or her appearance.

It took some time, but eventually, Cullen saw to it that Kivela slowly returned to good health and while he had swiftly learned that Kivela was restless when she was sick, he had also learned a few tricks in keeping her entertained. But that wasn’t the only thing he had learned while she had had been on her journey to recovery from her sickness or rather her seasonal allergies as she had informed him, which, in turn, made him feel sorry for her as that meant that whenever the time for harvest would come around she would likely be beyond miserable (not that he minded as he had come to enjoy caring for her); he had also learned that Kivela, despite being extremely well learned, was illiterate when it came to reading the written form of the Common Tongue and that had been something he had set out to fix swiftly (he had noted that she had been greatly confused as of to why she was unable to read written common) even after learning that she could, in fact, read and write Orlesian perfectly (though they both decided to keep **_THAT_** little fact under wraps as best as possible or at least until one or both slipped up). Cullen had (more or less) just at this very moment also came to discover that Kivela was a snuggler and smiled to himself as he looked down at her sleeping form as she cuddled as close to him as possible. Reaching up, he brushed his hands through her hair and earned a soft noise from her which caused his heart to squeeze. He wasn’t sure if what he felt for her at this moment of time was normal for a soulmate to feel towards their mate but there really wasn’t anyone he could ask as most of those who were in the town and the outlying encampment were either just barely into adulthood, had lost or never discovered their soulmates, or were older folks whose bond was well established with their soulmates, and then there was the fact that there were the sisters, brothers and revered mothers of the building known as the Chantry who were sworn to never take lovers even _IF_ their soulmate appeared and if their soulmate did appear the only acceptable thing for them to have was a ”Chaste marriage” (Cullen was still wondering who had come up with that bright idea as that was the second or third stupidest thing he had ever heard of and was glad he had taken a more ”warrior” like route to serving the Chantry). Smiling down at Kivela’s head, Cullen was amazed at how swiftly she had fallen asleep but then remembered that she had warned him about her likely doing that as there was just something about his presence that calmed her. Something about him settled her down when she grew restless and he wondered if that wasn’t a sign of something more then just their shared bond as soulmates (in time he would find out exactly WHY she was always so restless and what he would learn would royally piss him off). Putting the book he had been reading out loud to her on the side table next to her bed Cullen carefully shifted enough to lay down beside her and gently pulled her closer to him. Hearing a sigh escape her, he smirked to himself and managed to rest her head over the area where his heartbeat (he had decided to spend the day with Kivela and, thus, had forgone his armor in favor of a simple combination of his shirt and breeches, while still wearing his boots. Closing his eyes, Cullen wasn’t exactly sure when he dropped off the face of Thedas and into the Fade but one thing he was aware of was the fact that, for the first time in _**YEARS**_ , he was finally, finally able to dream without a single nightmare appearing. 

While he slept with Kivela cuddled close, Cullen was completely and utterly unaware of the fact that someone or something within the fade was stalking around and on the hunt for Kivela. That someone or something was taking the form of a very large cat-like creature with unnatural colored eyes. Managing to keep just outside the boundaries of Cullen’s dream, the cat watched what was transpiring and barely managed to stave off a low growl. _I’ve found you at last, wolfling, and no one can save you now._ The cat thought to itself as it followed Cullen’s bond to where Kivela’s own dreams were taking place. _A protective bubble? Meant to keep you hidden from the Fade perhaps? Oh, wolfling, nothing can keep you safe. Not even the blessings of the gods._ As the the cat raised a paw up and unsheathed its claws, a snarl ripped through the ”air” and the cat paused with fear as a large wolf with six blood red eyes came stalking forward with fangs bared. 

_You will not harm her!_ The wolf’s voice echoed into the mind of the cat who growled in response. 

_And just **WHO** do you think **YOU** are to so rudely interrupt my hunt for **MY** prey?!_ The cat demanded as it turned to fully face the unnaturally sized wolf. 

_I **AM** Fen’harel. I am **THE** Dread Wolf and this child you claim to hunt is of **MY** blood_. The wolf opened his jaws slightly, _You have no right to hunt her._

 _I have every right to hunt this bitch! You have no rights to keep her from **MY** justice._ The cat hissed back at the wolf whose hackles raised now.

 _I have every right in every world to protect her._ Before the cat could think of a response, the wolf, Fen’harel (or rather Solas), lunged forward with a roar of his own, and soon both he and the cat vanished as they battled it out, leaving Kivela’s dreams protected and undisturbed at least for the rest of that night.

Cullen, after some hours, eventually awoke to Kivela having apparently rolled over during the night (a night he hadn’t intended to spend with her) and smiled as he noted just how perfectly she filled the spot next to him. Turning on his side, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close and barely, just barely, fought back a smile as she settled against him as he grew comfortable with this position. Forgetting to remove his arm from around her waist, Cullen fell back into the siren’s song known as sleep as Kivela awoke to feeling something wrapped around her waist that wasn’t her blanket. Blinking awake, Kivela looked down to see an arm holding her close and followed it to its owner to see that Cullen was the one who held her against him. Smiling as she realized that he had unintentionally stayed the night, Kivela couldn’t help but feel a bit thrilled at that fact, but the feeling was fleeting as she was soon dragged back under by sleep and once more passed out to dream of whatever she could while she still had things to dream of. 


	4. Three

When Kivela awoke the next morning, Cullen was gone and, while it left her feeling sad, she kept in mind that he ** _WAS_** (at this moment of time) the Commander of the Inquisition's forces and that he couldn't always spend time with her. Before she could fully stew in the fact that Cullen wasn't there, someone entered and she turned her gaze to see the Herald walking in with a rather large smile upon his face (which for her was a bit worrying). "Oh good! You're awake!"

"I am...why?" Kivela inquired as she prepared to get up and get dressed only for him to stop her by holding out a change of clothing that had her frowning. 

"New clothes, I ordered them made before I left," He told her as she took them gingerly from him, "figured you could use some since your other ones where slightly..."

"Shredded?"

"I would have said holey, but that works too," He smiled as she rolled her eyes. "Also had them made so you slightly match the Commander!" 

Now Kivela was unamused, "Uh huh." She said as she stood and went to dress after the Herald had ensured that the windows where closed (and made sure to turn his back to her) to give her some privacy as she dressed in the new clothes. "How is it these fit perfectly?" She inquired as he smirked.

"Sister Leliana, who you will meet soon, had your measurements taken while you slept."

"Sneaky." 

"She can be, yes, but in this case, I'd let it fly."

"I plan on it," Kivela said as she told him that he could safely turn around, "If she can take my measurements without me knowing, I really don't want to know what she could do to me when I'm not paying attention." She looked to the silky thing that she figured wrapped around her stomach and frowned, "What the fuck is this piece for?"

"That is the sash, here let me help you," With that he carefully wrapped the sash around her stomach a few times before tying it off on her right side and allowing the excess to fall from his hands. "There!" 

"Thank you, but now I am wondering: Why do I have a lock picking set on my belt?"

"Because you seem like a rogue to me. Plus in your fevered state you kept mentioning something about a bow and arrows, well that and when you were found beside me at the temple you had a broken bow within your reach." 

"My bow broke?" Kivela frowned then. "Damn it..."

"I take it that it had sentimental value?"

"It was a gift from my father for my twentieth birthday. He had worked an entire year on it and gave it to me once he was sure that it was perfect."

"Well...shit..." The Herald frowned then, "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault, I'm surprised it took this long to break with what I put it through," Kivela sighed as she shook her head. "Anyway, besides to come give me knew clothes, why are you here?"

The Herald smiled then, "To give you a tour of Haven! Now that you are feeling better, and after your long night of cuddling with the Commander," the Herald smirked as Kivela tried (and failed) to not blush, "Yeah I know about that, as does everyone else," Kivela shot him a look then but his smirk turned into a grin. "But anyways! Now that you are feeling better, I figured that its time to give you a tour of our little town since it will be your home for a while too and have you meet the more "important" people."

 _Not if I have any say in that, I can never stay in one place for long._ "Alright, sounds good to me," Kivela smiled, "Where do we begin?" As they left her cabin, with the Herald telling her everything he could about Haven and the outlying camp, Kivela felt a dark gaze land on her and felt her heart jump into her throat and managed to keep, however barely, herself appearing outwardly calm. She just somehow _**KNEW**_ who was watching her and while it terrified her to no end, she knew better then to give away the fact that she knew she was being watched. What she didn't know was that the person watching her was also being watched by not one, not two, but **THREE** sets of eyes and one of those sets of eyes seeming just knew why the person was there but for the moment Kivela was managing to successfully ignore the person (while being very aware of them) who was just seemingly waiting for the perfect time to strike at her. But the person wouldn't get the chance as she was never once left alone that day, even when she should have been, she was instead taken to the room that the Herald called "the war room" where she met not only the woman mentioned to be Leliana but two other women as well.

Once introductions were made, with Cullen being excluded as Kivela and he already knew each other, Leliana looked over and spoke directly to Kivela making her look to the red headed woman. "Are you aware that you were being followed while the Herald showed you around?"

"I am well aware of it and I know why though the reasoning behind it is completely and utterly stupid," Kivela told her as Leliana tilted her head. 

"Care to explain?"

"Can you first get rid of the dickweed? He's just on the other side of the door." Just at that moment shouting was heard and the door opened to reveal two guards with the figure of a man between them. "That was quick."

"I figured you would have asked for something to be done if you were aware of it, if not, they would have caught him eventually."

"I have no issues with that," Kivela responded before the man snarled something at her to which she turned to him and replied with something that none of the other five in the room understood, "Tha fios agam, tha mi nam boireannach marbh a ’coiseachd. Uill tha do thorran feur _(I know, I am a dead woman walking. Well your arse is grass)_." She responded before turning away from the man who snarled out more words while being dragged away.

The Herald was confused now. "Mind explaining what that was all about?"

Kivela shrugged before sighing, "To make a very, very long story short. My father was apart of a group that believed men are the end all be all of all things, and that women were put on the face of the world to serve them and were to be used as brood mares and a bunch of other shit that I could give two less fucks about. They were very..."

"Single-minded?"

"That too, but anyways. My father was apart of that group while my mother was apart of another, and her group was more open-minded about things."

"What did her group believe?"

"That outside of a few exceptions, men are just too stupid for their own good and are too war like to be trusted with any sort of power. No offense to either you or the Commander."

"None taken," Cullen commented as Kivela nodded before continuing her story.

"Anyways before I get too far into that whole religious bullshit that I care nothing for or about, my father met my mother and they fell in love which was a big "no-no" in his groups religious hive-mind. Well it was discovered that my mother was with child, his group said that so long as the child was a son, their love would be fine. Nine months later, instead of a son, I came around and shit hit the ceiling almost literally."

"Daughters weren't welcomed?"

"Remember this was a religious group that saw women as nothing more then brood mares. If the first born is a daughter, the man responsible for said daughter is slain after the birth of the daughter as is the daughter while the mother is put through the whole process of conceiving and birthing again." Kivela watched as Leliana contemplated something at that time, "Well, my father, instead of allowing himself to be killed along with me, decided to do possibly the stupidest thing he could and managed to steal me away before they could kill me."

"What of your mother?"

"Died a few moments after my death. My birth wasn't easy on her and they couldn't get the bleeding to stop. According to what my father told me, she did get to hold me for a few moments said some words that he didn't understand before her soul fled to the afterlife."

No one spoke for several moments. "So..." Kivela turned to the woman who she had learned was named Josephine, "How did your father escape with you?"

"Because my parents were a special case, my father was allowed to be with my mother during my birth. Normally the men aren't allowed to be anywhere near the women when they are giving birth, so if a daughter is born, the father never sees the baby though they are told why they, themselves, are being killed. Well being in the birthing room, my father saw my face as my mother held me while she was dying and, if he were here, he would tell you that something told him that he just couldn't allow them to kill me."

"And so he wait until the perfect time to take you away?"

"Yes, though he wasn't alone in that endeavor as my mothers religious group had a matriarch who was an actual Seer, a woman who could truly foresee the future, and according to what I was told, the woman had foreseen my mother's passing and had also foreseen that my father would need aid in escaping with me. Eventually he managed, with the help that was provided, to escape with me clutched carefully in his arms while also holding me to his chest, and after that he and I roamed around for a while before settling in a country where he was pardoned for running away with me and we settled down on the outskirts of a decent sized town where I grew up with five other children around my age while also receiving the best education around, while my father made quiet a lot of coin," Kivela used their term for money, "because of his smithing skills." 

"Your father was a blacksmith?"

"Yes and he was a damn fine one too but he wasn't just a blacksmith. He was also a woodworker." 

It dawned on the Herald then, " ** _THAT'S_** why you are so upset at the fact that your bow broke!"

Kivela nodded, "Like I told you, my father spent a year crafting that bow, but he spent it crafting the bow from a tree we had planted in remembrance of my mother after we had finally settled down. If you still have my broken bow and can have it brought here I can tell you what the tree was." After a few moments, Kivela's bow was brought to the war room and she felt her heart plummet the moment she set eyes upon it. After thanking the soldier who had brought it to her, Kivela carefully set the pieces down on the war table (with Cullen noting how tenderly she was treating it which in turn almost broke his heart) and the others in the room studied it. "This is, or rather was, my bow Stormsong." 

"Stormsong?"

"She was crafted from a specific tree that was called a "Weeping Willow". Do you see those black marks on the bow?" once everyone nodded, Kivela continued, "The willow was struck by lightning during a rather bad storm. My father, having seen it, decided that after the tree was cut down to use the wood to craft this bow while also replanting a single branch which then grew into a massive willow itself. A willow that my father then proceeded to name Reverie after my mother."

"Why did you name the bow Stormsong then?"

"That was my mother's last name."

"So your mother was named Reverie Stormsong?"

"Indeed and from that is where I come out with the saying: Et reverie in aurem locuti carmina tempestas. The reverie of the storm whispered songs," Kivela felt as if a part of her was broken then as she looked upon the bow. "Or for a more accurate term, A daydream of the storm whispered songs", for not all storms have to be loud to be heard and my mother was proof of that."

"But," Cullen spoke up now, "You told me you changed your name because of issues you had with your family?"

"I did change my name, but not because of my family. I changed my name to keep myself hidden from those who seek to hunt me down. My true name, the name I was given upon my birth, is Ilyrana Summers but because I have been on the run for years, I can no longer use that name and thus its best it stays that way."

"Ilyrana sounds like an elven name," Leliana frowned as she thought that name over.

"My parents may have had a minor obsession with elven cultures. Where I come from, we don't have elves and if there were truly elves at one time, well they are long gone," Silence followed her words and she swore that if a pin were to drop at that moment it would have been extremely loud. Looking around at the five watching her, she could see that they could not fathom a world without elves. After a while Kivela left the room with the Herald, and Cullen looked to the broken bow with a thoughtful look upon his face. 

"What are you thinking of Commander?" Leliana inquired as Cullen looked up at her. 

"Just wondering if there isn't someway to repair her bow and then somehow reinforce it to make it harder to break again," Cullen replied as Leliana looked to the slender pieces of the bow. Studying where it had broken, she noted that it had broken into three pieces. with both ends having broken almost perfectly in the middle of where the string attached to the bow and where the grip was located.

"There may be," Leliana was thoughtful now. "We could take it to Harritt and see if he could fix it. But it may not be possible with how slender it is."

"It wouldn't hurt to check," With that Cullen took up the pieces of the bow, and carried them out of the war room with Leliana watching after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes Reverie (or Revery) means Daydream or rather "A daydream" I looked it up. Reverie has FOUR different meanings depending on how its used in a sentance. two of those four are basically the same thing, while the third (a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea) has to do with an idea, and the fourth (an instrumental composition of a vague and dreamy character) has to do with music. They way I had Kivela use it is fine. (for those of you who would nit-pick at me, if you DARE argue with me on this it will not end well for you of that I promise). 
> 
> Yes I also have a picture of what Kivela's bow looks like I just don't know how to add pictures to my stories. Also the outfit Kivela is wearing is the same one a rogue Herald/Inquisitor is first given once the Inquisition is announced as "reborn" but Kivela's is roughly the same colors as the outfit Cullen wears.


	5. Four

Kivela clenched her jaws as she _**forced**_ herself to focus on something other then what she felt at that moment as it _demanded_ to be acknowledged. Closing her eyes, she could almost see **_it_**. See how **_it_** was trying to come to the forefront of her thoughts and take over her from the shadows where it was forever and always lurking. Where it would always lurk until the end of her days. Cursing herself as she struggled to re-contain the _THING_ she felt clawing at her like a house cat would claw the brand new furniture and snarled at it. _**BEGONE** YOU DAMNED THING! Now is NOT your time!_ Kivela roared at it in her mind as it growled right back at her. 

As Kivela warred with whatever lingered within the darkness of her soul, she completely missed the sound of the door to her cabin opening as someone entered only to be greeted by the sight of Kivela with what could only be described as a death grip upon the edge of the desk and an angry look that was swiftly mistaken for a pained one (which was technically right as she did have a major headache as she battled with what she was) as the person noted that one of her hands was pressed against her forehead. ”Kivela?” the person who walked into the cabin called out, earning themselves a yelp and curse from Kivela as they startled her. 

” **HOLY SHIT!** ” Kivela damn near jumped out of her skin as a hand flew to her chest to land over her now racing heart. Turning to see who had spoken, she saw Cullen standing there with eyes wide as he realized that he had just damn near scared her to death. 

”I am so sorry!” he apologized as she closed her eyes while taking a deep breath. ”I did not mean to frighten you!” 

”It’s fine,” She waved off his apology. ”I have a tendency to frighten very easily when I’m not paying attention.” She informed him as she opened her eyes to look at him. ”Anyway. Did you need something?” 

”I just came to check on you,” he frowned as she tilted her head. ”Every time I’ve seen you today, you’ve looked like you’ve been in pain. Are you alright?” 

”Yeah, I’m fine. Just a headache is all.” 

**_LIAR_** _ **!**_ The thing that was lurking within the darkness of her soul snarled at her. To which she replied with a silent ”shut up”. 

Cullen frowned as he moved forward to stand before her, which in turn caused her to lift her head as he stopped before her. ”How long does it normally last?” 

”It varies,” _How am I only now noticing how tall he actually is?_ ”Sometimes it can last all day, other times a few hours. Then there are the rare few times it goes on for days or weeks.” She watched as his mind was working something out and wondered just what he was thinking. Until he suddenly reached out to brush some of her straying hair from her face and rested it behind her ear. 

”Give me a moment and I will return with something that will take away the pain.” He told her as she watched him leave. 

_Oh, I could think of a million things he could do to keep-No! Bad! Down girl!_ Kivela scolded herself as she inhaled a deep breath to calm herself. Hearing the door open, she turned her head to see Cullen re-entering the cabin and watched as he held something out to her.

”This should help,” he told her as she took the item from him. 

”What is it?” She asked as she studied the green liquid that swirled around within the clear container. 

”It’s a healing potion.” He saw her look at him with confusion. ”They don’t just aid in closing up wounds, healing potions can also be used to take away the pain from headaches too.” He informed her as she looked back at it. He watched as she gave him a skeptical look, before nodding to it, ”Drink it, I promise it will help.” He encouraged her to drink the potion and while she seemed hesitant to do so, she eventually uncorked the bottle and managed (however barely) to drink the potion without gagging on it. 

”Oh that tastes like shit!” she exclaimed as she set the bottle on the desk and he gave her a sympathetic smile while pouring her a cup of water, which she took from him gratefully as she used the water to chase down the potion. ”That was utterly horrible! How do you people stand that stuff!” she groaned as she tried (and failed) to get the thought of the potion’s taste out of her head.

Cullen, for his part, could only smile in sympathy at her reaction to the potion. Granted he could point out that while she had been sick she had drank some healing potions before but then again when anyone was sick they usually couldn't taste things like potions. "Personally, I usually try to ignore the taste if I have any reason to drink one." Cullen informed her as she huffed at that.

"Not very helpful there," She told him as she set the cup down. "But then again I am that kind of person who usually adds honey to a lot of things to make them sweeter."

That caught Cullen's attention, "Really?"

"Yes. I may not look like it but while my father was a smith, I entertained the hobby of making teas when I wasn't helping him in his shop." Kivela smiled then as she thought of it, "Of course when my father found out, he was positively thrilled and somehow managed to buy a little shop for me to open where I could sell packages of tea and offer it as drinks for people to try. Well one thing I found extremely common was that people who were avid tea drinks often had children or nieces or nephews who refused to drink it."

"So you solved that by using honey?"

"And then some. I would put a little bit of tea into a small cup and while they were watching I would add just a touch of honey and after giving it to them, the would beg their parents or aunts or uncles to get more.” Kivela turned away from Cullen then, but as she made to step away, her head started feeling light and she swiftly reached out to grip her desk with a white-knuckled death grip. 

”Kivela!” Cullen leaped forward as she lost her grip on the desk and barely caught her in time to keep her upright while she focused on the wooden floor beneath her feet. ”Are you alright?” Cullen looked her over worriedly and she shook her head. 

”I’m fine... I’ll be...I’ll be fine just a little lightheaded that's all.” She told him as she focused on her breathing now with her eyes closed to stop the room from spinning. 

”I’m going to have someone fetch one of the healers.” Kivela tried to protest but the look he gave her had her become silent as he helped her sit down on her bed. Once a soldier had been sent off to fetch a healer, who was swift to come, Cullen watched, arms crossed over his chest, only to gain a shocked look when the healer announced that Kivela was, for all intents and purposes, anemic. Once the healer was gone with clear instructions for Kivela to eat something, Cullen uncrossed his arms and frowned at her. ”Why didn’t you tell me?” 

”How could I tell you something that, until this very moment, even I didn’t know?” 

”How could you not know that you are anemic?” 

”I’ll give you three guesses,” She retorted as Cullen sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

”Maker’s breath,” He sighed before shaking his head. 

”Honestly, if you knew half of the things about me that I know about myself, me being anemic would be the least of your concerns.”

”Considering that being anemic in a place like this could spell your death, I don’t see how anything else could overshadow that.” 

”You don’t right now.” Kivela snapped at him. ”Look right now the only reason I am anemic is likely because I only eat once a day.” 

”What?” 

”Oh trust me like I said if you knew half of the things I know about myself my anemia would be the least of your concerns.” 

"That won't change my mind." Cullen frowned as Kivela shook her head and stood while he spoke again, "Kivela, anemia here could-!"

"Could what?" Kivela snapped at him taking him by surprise. "I'm not made of glass, Commander. I've been able to take care of myself for damn near eight years, I **_KNOW_** my limits." She was getting tired of this conversation real quick. Of all the people she would want to discuss her health with, Cullen was not one of them. 

Before she could say anything else, he was suddenly standing right in front of her and he took her arms into his hands. His grip was tight but not so tight that it would leave bruises. ”Kivela listen to me!” he snapped right back at her causing her to slightly flinch. ”Anemia here in the Frostbacks could very well _**KILL**_ you. We don’t have any way to fix the situation as we don’t have the right kind of foods to help fix it.” She listened as his voice softened as he explained what she already knew (or well had figured out since her arrival).

”Why do you care so much what happens to me? You barely know me!” Kivela challenged as he sighed. 

”I care because I _**WANT**_ to get to know you. Not just because we are soulmates, but because I want to be more than just some random stranger you are tied to through a mark that is unique to us.” He told her as she felt her thoughts derail. ”I want to be your friend, I want to be someone you can turn to no matter what. I want to show you that this bond we share can be more then what you knew it as where you come from. I want...” He stopped himself before he put his foot in his mouth and pulled away. Kivela looked away and closed her eyes for a moment. While she wanted desperately to believe his words and wanted desperately to allow him that, she was also just too torn between herself. Part of her wanted all that but the darker part that lurked within her very soul told her that she could never have that. That no matter how hard she tried, she would **_NEVER_** be able to have that and those words stung. ”Kivela, look at me.” he lifted up a hand and gently turned her head towards him as his voice dropped to a whisper. ”No matter what I want those things for you because you deserve nothing less than the best.” He could see some form of silent fear in her eyes, but then she spoke.

”I... I can’t promise that I will make it easy for you. I...” 

”What?” 

Kivela didn’t want him to know about her figurative mental demons that lurked within her very being. She didn’t want to ruin what he was trying to do for her but then again, she had burned more important bridges before and so pulled away to move away from him. ”There is something you should know that no one else does...” and with that she told him _EVERYTHING_ , or well almost everything. She didn’t tell him that she knew of Thedas before actually arriving here. No, she would keep tight-lipped about that for the simple fact that her presence in Thedas _**alone**_ put the natural cycle of how this should all go in danger and she wanted to minimize that risk as much as possible. But she did tell him of the mental demons she suffered with, ”...I can’t make promises that everything you just said will be easy to do. I couldn’t even tell my own father of my innermost feelings and he was the man I should have been able to trust anything with,” Kivela shook her head while refusing to look at Cullen. ”I can’t talk about my feelings. Only bottle them up. That’s all I’ve ever been able to do.” 

Suddenly she felt his arms wrap around her and felt her warring emotions just melt away as she involuntarily relaxed against him as if his presence was calming (which in some strange way for her, it was). ”Then I will do my best to try and show you that it is alright to show emotions. I won’t let you suffer in silence.” he promised her as she closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder while he held her.


	6. Five

Kivela pinched her nose as she felt a sudden itch start. She could feel the sneeze trying to come out but she needed to be absolutely quiet to be able to sneak up on the man who was ”training” her in the ways of a ”proper” Thedosian rogue, or rather, he was training her in the basics, the more advanced things she would learn when she was to choose a ”specialization” much later on. _Don’t sneeze. Don't sneeze. Don’t sneeze. Don't sneeze!_ She chanted to herself as she opened her eyes as the itch went away. Letting out a very quiet huff, she felt proud of herself for banishing the sneeze when it decided to blindside her and caused the man to become alerted to her presence. 

”Dead.” he stated plainly after he had spun around and held a dagger to her throat as Kivela huffed in irritation. ”I am surprised, Lady Kivela. You have managed to get closer to me then you did the past few days. Had you not sneezed, you would have had me.” Before Kivela could protest the man held up a hand. ”I know. Sneezing is an uncontrollable thing which is why I will let it pass, for now.” He said as she nodded in understanding.

”Thank you.” 

”Don’t thank me yet, Lady Kivela. Tomorrow morning I want you up before dawn and we will continue your lessons, right now there is someone awaiting your attention.” The man told her before he walked away.

Frowning, Kivela turned to see Leliana watching her with an appraising eye and wondered what she had done to warrant the attention of the Spymaster. Unsure of how to address Leliana, Kivela went to speak but the woman beat her to it. ”I see you are making great strides in your training.” 

”I wouldn’t call them great strides just yet...I still have a long way to go.” 

”Even so, you are a fast learner from what I have witnessed.” Leliana smiled then, ”Tell me, when you finish this part of your training, will you wish for more advanced training?” 

”I might. I’m not entirely sure yet. Part of me wants to and another part of me thinks it would be too dangerous.” 

”Or that the Commander won’t allow it?” 

”That too,” Kivela nodded as Leliana smirked. 

"You never know, he just may once your basic training is complete." Leliana told her before preparing to turn and leave. "But come, I did not want to speak with you solely about possible advanced training for you."

"Really?"

"Indeed. Come, we can discuss it on the way to my tent," With that, Leliana and Kivela walked from the area and began to speak on the real reason Leliana had been waiting for her. Upon arriving at the Spymaster's tent just outside the Chantry, Kivela stopped at the entrance and frowned at the suggestion Leliana had given.

"Would he be okay with it? I mean, Cullen and I barely know each other.” 

”It happens with noble families all the time.” 

”Just because its normal for them doesn’t mean I won’t take his feelings into consideration.” 

”You care about his feelings on the matter?” 

”I care about everyone’s feelings... ah...what should I call you?” 

Leliana smiled with a giggle, ”Leliana will be fine, I have a feeling that before long you will be needing a friend to talk to.” 

”That’s likely an understatement,” Kivela sighed before taking a seat near the fire outside of her tent. ”I’ll have to think about it, Leliana. I don’t want to do something like that until I know how Cullen feels about the thought.”

”How I feel about what thought?” Cullen’s voice flowed towards them as Kivela turned to see him walking up and the moment her eyes landed on him, she swore time itself stopped. With his usual stance of being of true blue Commander (or in her mind an Alpha male), the clashing light of both the Breach and the sun made it seem as if he were some powerful being arriving from the war-torn skies instead of a man walking up the path from wherever he was coming from. 

_Jesus Christ! That man is the living definition of god-like._ Kivela thought as she swiftly zoned out of whatever conversation was happening. 

”...How do you feel about it?” 

”What?” 

Leliana giggled then as Cullen smirked. He had seen Kivela zone out as she had lost interest in the conversation and couldn’t help but inwardly shake his head. ”How do you feel about the idea?” He inquired again as she remembered what they were speaking of.

”Honestly? I would care more about how you feel about it.” 

”Kivela, your feeling matter too,” Cullen reminded her softly. ”I’ve already promised you that I would not let you suffer in silence.” 

Kivela wanted to argue that point but wisely chose not to, ”To be honest, I like the thought of it but it's up to you.” 

Cullen smirked then, while the thought of marrying Kivela right now wasn’t something he would normally care about or even think of, he did have to say there would be an advantage to doing so (if only to keep the pesky Orlesian nobles away). It would provide him with the means to keep a closer eye on her as well as give him a chance to learn what secrets she was keeping hidden from him. ”I don’t think right now would be the best time to have a marriage performed, but I wouldn’t be opposed to spreading the word of a betrothal between us.” 

”Why do I get the feeling it would be an excuse for you to avoid the nobility?” 

”Because he would,” Leliana shook her head before turning to look at Kivela. ”I will have my agents spread the word that the Commander and you are betrothed.” Turning Leliana walked away and into her tent as Kivela stood with a shake of her head.

”I wonder if hell has frozen over?” 

Cullen looked at her with confusion, ”What?”

”It's a rhetorical question,” she told him as she prepared to walk away. 

Cullen watched her for a moment before joining her. ”Are you well?” 

”Could be better. Never thought I would ever find myself in this kind of situation before.”

”What situation?” 

Kivela waved around and between them, ”This! Before I came here, however the fuck I did, I was just a normal average bore the shit out of everyone kind of person who worked all day with archery being nothing more then a hobby. Now though? I'm being trained to kill, I'm pretty sure Leliana has a a plan in her mind that has something to do with me as she made mention of advanced training, which that thought alone scares me but then again Leliana in general scares me though not as much as the Lady Ambassador."

"Your scared of Josephine?" Cullen asked with amusement in his voice. 

"Anyone in their right minds should be scared of her. You have an intimidating presence, Leliana is that kind of person I would keep watch over my shoulder for because she could kill someone with just a look, but with you both that's to be expected. Josephine, on the other hand, is that kind of person you wouldn't expect to be scary."

"Which is why I don't understand why you would be scared of her," Cullen frowned now as Kivela stopped.

"Think of it this way: The kindest person is the last person you would expect to have a much darker side to them. She may not appear to be intimidating or lethal in any way, but I've known enough kind hearted people to know that if she was given half the chance, you would see that hidden darkness in a heartbeat."

"You say that like you've witnessed something like it." Cullen smirked as she looked at him with an unamused expression.

"I've had a friend exactly like that. Sweet as could be and always willing to help, but piss that man off and that was the last thing that that person saw from him from that point on." 

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Do you really want the answer to that question?" Kivela asked with a smirk as Cullen chuckled. 

"Probably not," He responded as they continued walking. For a few moments they walked in silence but eventually Cullen spoke up. "Kivela?"

"Yes?"

"About the betrothal..." 

"Cullen don't worry about it," Kivela stopped once more to place a hand on his upper arm, causing him to look at her to see a gentle smile on her face. A smile that had his chest feeling like his heart would stop beating at any moment. "i would rather be with you then anyone else, soulmate or not." After giving his upper arm a gentle squeeze, she continued to smile before suddenly moving closer to him to place a gentle kiss on his cheek (causing his heart to stop and squeeze) before pulling away and leaving him standing and watching after her as she disappeared outside of the gates. Cullen smiled and shook his head (and he may or may not have touched the cheek she had left such a gentle kiss on) before remembering that he needed to check on something, something he was sure would bring her some form of joy. 


	7. Six

_Kivela leaned against a railing with her arms crossing as she rested them against the wood and was watching as the ocean waves broke upon the cliffs. Her curly hair which was long and flowing (before she had cut it in a heartbroken fury) was halfway to the middle of her back and was waving off to the side as the salty breeze ran its fingers through it as if it was a gentle lover. She knew this place well as she had come here so many times before, she had heard the stories the locals told of this place. Had heard them tell tales of this place being not only the most beautiful view of the ocean, but also being a place where the heartbroken would come to ease their sorrows only to vanish and never be seen again. Watching as the Ocean continued to splash against the rocks, Kivela almost missed the sound of someone walking up to her. "Ilyrana? What are you doing up here?" A familiar voice spoke up causing Kivela to turn around and see the person, the man, she loved at that time walking up to her._

_"Enjoying the view," Kivela replied with a slight smile as the young man walked up and gave her a gentle kiss upon the lips. "Why are you here, Kaeso?"_

_"To check on you," he smiled as he rested a hand on the middle of her back as they turned to watch the waves. "You know this sight is almost as beautiful as you."_

_"Now your just trying to flatter me."_

_"Maybe, but its true. You are one of the most beautiful women out there, Ilyrana."_

_"I have never been beautiful, and I never will be."_

_"You say that now but it is the truth and any man that can't see that is lying to themselves," Kaeso told her as he turned her head to face him with a gentle touch. "You are very beautiful."_

_"Many would not say that unless I was wearing make-up."_

_Kaeso huffed out a laugh, "Ilyrana, you are naturally beautiful. You don't need make-up to prove that minus that fact that I know you never wear make-up as it bothers your skin. You are and always will be, beautiful. Especially considering that you have an almost elven beauty to you."_

_"Now that is far-fetched and you know it." Kivela told him as he only smiled before he leaned in to kiss her again._

_"I know," Their lips met gently then. "Never change yourself for anyone, my love..."_

Kivela awoke to a somewhat cold house and frowned as she sat up and looked around before dropping her head to pick at some fuzz on the blanket. _Why am I dreaming of Kaeso now? It's been three years since his death..._ Sighing as she decided that she likely wasn't going to get anymore sleep, Kivela swiftly stood and changed into her usual daytime outfit. As she walked outside of her cabin, Kivela rubbed at her face with a hand before deciding to head towards the stables where she knew the smell of the horses, straw and other scents that came from such a place would help to calm her thoughts. As she entered the stables, the smell that greeted her had her smiling softly to herself as she paused in her tracks for just a moment. Closing her eyes, she felt a sense of calm wash over her as soft nickers reached her ears as the horses that remained in the stables picked up on her scent. Opening her eyes with a slight chuckle, Kivela began a steady pace towards the tack room where she figured the current stable-master to be at and made more then a few stops to pet velvety noses that reached out for her tender affections. Today, however, one horse in particular reached out for some loving and nickered softly towards her as she pet along his nose with a gentle hand, but when she made to move on, he stopped her by reaching out and nipping at her shirt causing her to laugh at his antics. "Hey bad boy, I need my shirt." She chuckled as he huffed and shook his head. Petting along his forehead and down to his nose, Kivela smiled as she looked him over. Scanning him carefully, Kivela could see that he was a gorgeous chestnut gelding with black "stockings", mane and tail with a white stripe running down from his forelocks to his nose where it turned pink amidst the grey that could be found there. As Kivela continued to pet the horse (who continued to nicker softly at her touch), she almost missed the sound of a familiar chuckle as someone came walking up to her. 

"I see you found my horse," Kivela turned to see Cullen walking up and smiled as she turned back to the gelding who nosed her hand again. 

"I didn't exactly find him so much as he refused to let me continue on to the tack room so I could speak with the current stable-master," She informed him as she continued to pet the horse with a gentle hand. 

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Cullen chuckled as he watched Kivela interact with his horse. "What were you going to speak with the stable-master for?"

"To see if he needs any help."

"That's what the stable-hands are for," Cullen frowned now as Kivela chuckled softly in response. 

"I know," Kivela said as she ran her hand along the steed's cheek now. "But sometimes it's nice to have some volunteers to help around as well, especially when they know what to do in the stalls and around the horses."

Cullen watched her as she tilted her head to the side as she began speaking softly to the gelding who nickered in response, "Did you work in a stables at one time?"

"In my teenage years, mostly for the company of the horses and a bit of spending coin, as well as to get away from the real world and sometimes avoid my studies for a while," Kivela told Cullen more absentmindedly then she intended to. "I've always found being around horses and the smell of the stables was...calming... to me when my thoughts would start to turn dark or become deafening. I would spend hours in the stables just spending time with the horses, even going so far as to talk to them as I knew they would listen without judging me for the way I felt. That became especially true for me when I... When a friend who was very dear to me passed away..." Kivela become somber for several moments as Cullen looked towards her with a bit of sorrow while his horse rested his nose over her heart. 

"You were close with your friend?"

"Very," Kivela nodded without looking away from the gelding, "He was someone I could trust anything and everything with and never once judged me for it. If he felt something was wrong with me, then he would do his damnedest to get me to talk about it or make me laugh when all I wanted to do was cry." Cullen could only imagine that level of friendship. 

"If... if you don't mind me asking... What happened to him?"

"He went out one night with a few of his other friends and there was a..." She couldn't say shooting, she knew Cullen wouldn't understand how Kaeso had died, so she chose phase the wording differently, "There was a terrible accident that took his life a day later." Now Cullen felt bad for asking her to speak of something that caused her so much pain. 

Reach out to touch her cheek, Cullen watched as her gaze, which was filled with unshed tears, turned towards him. "I'm sorry," he whispered softly as she met his golden eyes, "I didn't mean to pry."

"You didn't... It's just very hard for me to speak of him. He was a dear, dear, friend of mine and I've never really been able to properly grieve his loss." She told him as Cullen pulled her into his embrace while his horse looked on with a gaze that seemed almost human in some aspect of the word as he snorted while watching his rider and Kivela interact. Finding herself unable to resist, she leaned into Cullen and allowed his scent, which she could confirm indeed was that of Elderflower and Oakmoss but also had the underlying tones of something else (woodsmoke of a campfire perhaps?). 

Cullen couldn't resist wrapping his arms around her and as he held her, he placed his cheek on her head and managed to catch her scent. A scent that made him wonder as it was a rather unique combination as she somehow smelled of the clean ocean air with hints of blackberries and some other, almost flowery, type of scent that he just could not name for the life of him and while most people would have thought her scent strange, it drew him in like a moth to a flame. Pulling away from each other after a bit, Cullen watched as she returned to petting his horse and an idea struck him. "Have you ridden a horse before?"

Kivela looked to him, "A few times, but I haven't since I was seventeen. Why?"

"I was just thinking that maybe we could go for a short ride..." Cullen raised his right hand up to the back of his neck and rubbed at it as he looked away from her with a slight blush tinting his cheeks. 

"As much as I would love to, its been years since I last rode and I don't have a horse," She told him as he looked at her with a smile threatening to spring upon his lips. 

"You could ride with me or we can see if there is a horse that no one is using," He told her as she looked to him just as the stable-master came walking up to pass them. 

"There is a mare that isn't claimed by anyone. She's a few stalls down." He explained as he stopped briefly, "Don't know why, but she's refused to let any one from the Inquisition ride her so far. Maybe you will have luck with her. I will tell a few of the hands to get your horses saddled." With that, the Stable-master walked away and Kivela looked to Cullen who could only shrug before they both decided to go see the mare he had spoken of. When they reached the stall the mare was said to be in, a snowy white head poked around the stall door and sure enough, Kivela knew this to be the mare that had been spoken of. As they drew closer, the mare reached out her nose towards Kivela's hand and she responded by reaching out and began to rub the velvety muzzle. Studying the mare carefully, Cullen knew this particular horse to be of the Imperial Warmblood breeding but as he watched Kivela interact with the horse, something told him that he knew _exactly_ why the mare had not let anyone ride her and couldn't help but smile as he watched Kivela run her hand along the mare's nose while two stable-hands passed by them to grab the items needed to prepare the horses for their riders.

Pulling away from the mare, Kivela looked to Cullen and saw the smile on his face. "What?"

"Nothing," He said as she walked over to him as the stable-hands soon began to saddle up the horses. Unable to resist the sudden need to hold her, Cullen pulled her close and she all but melted into his embrace as she buried her head into the fur mantle upon his shoulders. Once they pulled away from each other, the horses were led from their stalls and Cullen decided to aid Kivela in getting into the saddle. After she was mounted (and the stirrups adjusted accordingly), he then turned and mounted up onto the back of his own horse and soon they began a slow ride so Kivela could get used to riding once more.


	8. Seven

Cullen watched as Kivela rode beside him. With each passing minute he could see how comfortable she was growing while in the saddle and knew that it wouldn't be much longer until she was once more riding expertly and a tiny part of him somehow knew that once she was, he would be hard pressed to keep her in and around Haven (not that he really cared so long as she was safe). Smiling as he watched Kivela rub the mare's neck and heard the horse respond with a small nicker, he wondered what she used to do with horses when she had been younger and found himself automatically asking her about it. Not even bothering to look up at him from the mare, Kivela spoke swiftly, "All kinds of things. Majority of the time, it was caring for them while they were in the stalls, but sometimes there were compositions held by different Noble families or even some organizations," Again she decided that using Thedosian terms would be a big help she used it instead of, "to help raise money for things like orphanages and the like." 

"And you would participate?"

"Sometimes. It mostly depended on what Noble house or Organization it was that was hosting the event. There were just some events that my horse, well the one that felt like he belonged to me as I was the only person he would let ride him, and I would participate in."

"What would those be?"

"Certain types of races and jumping."

"Jumping?" Kivela nodded and explained about it and she watched as he gained a thoughtful look. 

"But it's nothing like the one that was our favorite." Kivela told him of the competition that she had enjoyed most with her horse and he frowned.

"What was the point in all of it? Outside of helping those things you mentioned?"

"Mainly?" Kivela looked over towards him now, "To test the bonds of horse and rider, as well as make sure that the horses are well exercised."

'What kind of horse was was the one you rode?"

Kivela smiled, "He was a specific type of horse breed called a Friesian and they are a beautiful breed all on their own. They are bred to be black as a starless night, powerfully muscled yet still so agile and elegant despite their size as they move so gracefully and nimbly even when they have a rider. Their manes and tails are left long and thick, while they have the "feathers" on their lower legs near their hooves..." Kivela continued to explain about the horse she had used in her youth. 

"They sound like the perfect type of warhorse."

"That's because at one time they were. They were, they still are, the perfect warhorse breed. They can carry a knight of any kind in full armor while still being able to move easily even if they are wearing their own set of armor designed for horses. Yet despite that they are also one of the gentlest breeds of horse out there and the gelding I rode was no exception to that."

"Even though you were the only one who could ride him?"

"Even then. Oh he was stubborn when it came to who rode him, but that's to be expected of any horse. But if a child were to go up to him, he would stand there, still as a statue and let them pet him, or if I was around, he would allow them to sit upon his back for a few moments while I would explain everything to the parents of the child or children what breed of horse he was and why he was being so gentle."

"You loved that horse?"

"I did. He was a very loyal animal and wouldn't suffer any fools,"Kivela sighed as she looked down at the mare she rode who nickered softly and worriedly.

"What happened to him?"

Kivela shook her head then, "Some Noble dumbass caught sight of me riding him when he and his daughter were at the stables looking for a horse for her to ride for her own pleasure. Well being the spoiled brat the little bitch was, she wanted him for herself and her father caved into her request and tried to bribe me with money to allow his daughter to ride him. The stable master, the owner of the stables AND I told them both that he would let no one but me ride him."

"I'm guessing she continued to throw a fit?" Cullen didn't like the majority of Nobility due to how a lot of them tended to think high and mightily of themselves and now, as he spoke to Kivela about the horse she had loved, he could tell that her experiences with them had greatly soured her views of them.

"You'd be right. So much so that the owner of the stables looked to me and asked what I thought of letting her attempt to ride him for a short while."

"And?"

"I simply told him that it was all up to him as _HE_ owned the horses in the stables, he was the owner of the stables after all. He paid the expenses for the cares and needs of the animals there, I had no true say in what happened with the horse. Of course that only brought a laugh to his lips."

"Oh?"

"Indeed. It confused me at first until he explained that while yes he owned and paid for the horses and their needs and cares, he was not someone to just ignore the bonds of the horses to their riders either especially since I was the one who had come up with a name that the horse would respond to."

"What name was that?" Cullen wondered as Kivela smiled. 

"Ralius."

"What's it mean?"

"No meaning behind it truthfully. It just popped into my head as the first name I could think of. Plus it was the name of one of the horses, or well winged horses that were called Pegasi, in the story I had written some time ago."

"You used to write stories?"

"Sort of. They were never really the best and I eventually gave up on them for writing poems instead."

As much as Cullen would have loved to hear about the rest of that story, he returned the topic back to the fate of Ralius then. "What happened with the noble girl?"

"It was finally agreed upon that she could ride Ralius for a short while but only after some ground rules were laid. One of those rules was a major one."

"What was it?"

"Do not ever kick the horse in the sides. Ralius was exclusively trained by both the stable-master and I to respond to verbal commands as well as a rub on the side with the heel of my boots and a squeeze of my knees with a click of my tongue if it was needed." 

"I'm guessing she kicked him?"

"Hard in the sides as she felt it was what was needed and being how he was with the fact that he would suffer no fools, he ended up throwing her."

"What did her father do?"

"Nothing. He had agreed to the rules and knew, as well as saw, that his daughter was the one at fault for Ralius throwing her. Took me several minutes to almost an hour to calm Ralius again all while she demanded that her father have Ralius put down."

"Did he?"

"No, he told her that she needed to own up to the fact that she clearly broke the rules and that she was not above the rules before he turned around a apologized to me, Ralius and the owner of the stables and took his daughter out of there. Never saw them again after that, not until a few months later when a shit of a friend of hers came to "work" at the stables."

"What happened?"

"Her friend poisoned Ralius's feed and had been poisoning it for months without anyone knowing. By the time we found out, it was too late to save Ralius...He...died, leaving me heartbroken while that little bitch and her friend were punished."

"Her father didn't stop her punishment?"

"He was livid when he found out what his daughter and her friend had done, even said that she and her friend deserved the punishment they were receiving." Kivela sighed softly then, "After his death, Ralius's stall was never again used by another horse. Everything that had been used for me to ride him was put in the stall and the stall itself was locked up."

"What about Ralius?"

"We buried him under the apple tree that he and I used to sit under on warm spring days where I would work on the notes and things that I would take with me so I could work on my studies and he would munch on the grass or any apples that had fallen the previous night." 

Cullen felt bad for bringing up such memories that clearly seemed to pain her, "I'm sorry to have pried..."

"It's fine. I've learned to make peace with his death. No one can truly live forever, we all die eventually and horses are no exception to that. I will always miss him and his antics, but a part of me will always have him kept close to my heart so long as I keep his memories close." She told him as Cullen understood that reasoning. Eventually they decided to head back to Haven, but it was on their way back to the town and the outlying encampment that something caused Kivela to rein in the mare she rode which, in turn, had Cullen pulling on the reins of his own horse while turning partway in the saddle to ask her what the sudden cause was behind her stopping but silenced himself before even saying anything as she held up a finger to her mouth. Listening closely, Kivela began to wonder if what she had heard had been a figment of her imagination or she did until the noise sounded again, causing her to swiftly dismount and race off on foot in the direction of whatever was making the noises she heard while Cullen called after her. 

Wondering what had grabbed Kivela's attention so suddenly, Cullen moved his horse over to the mare she had suddenly abandoned, took the reins of the mare into his hand and moved the horses in the direction that his soulmate had vanished off into. When he arrived to where she was at (or close to where she was roughly located) Cullen dismounted and made sure to tie the horses to a nearby tree, before going in search of Kivela. Spotting her crouching down, he worried for a moment that something had attacked her but called out to her anyway, "Kivela?" Watching as she turned her head he meet her uniquely colored eyes as she frowned.

"You are not going to believe this." Was all she said as he furrowed his brows before moving closer to stand behind her. Turning his gaze from her to what she was crouching near, his jaw about hit the ground while his eyes went wide as he recognized what the tiny creature she was crouched over was. 

"That's impossible!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three guesses as of to what Creature it is that could have Cullen's jaw drop. (hint its not a dragon, sorry Lady_Trevelyan84 no dragons outside of the in-game ones this time)


	9. Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoever guessed Griffon (or Gryphon it can be spelled either way) was right. It's a Griffon (I'm going with the way they spell it in DA. No real reason why, just feel like it)

Kivela watched the fluff-ball of a baby creature as it wobbled around on her bed while trying to walk towards her as she knelt beside the bed. "Come on, you can do it!" Kivela smiled while Cullen sat at her desk watching the two with wonder. Ever since they had found, or rather she had found, the baby Kivela had taken a very keen interest in keeping it warm and safe. Of course, they had waited roughly two hours (with Kivela removing her jacket to keep the baby creature warm) for any signs of its parents, but none had come and Kivela (being the soft hearted person she was when it came to baby animals) had decided to take care of the baby herself but that was proving troublesome in itself especially since neither Kivela nor Cullen knew what the adult or baby versions of this creature ate. Luckily they wouldn't have to wonder long as a knock at the door had Kivela calling out for the person to enter, revealing the person entering to be none other then Leliana whose gaze went straight from the Commander to Kivela before she noticed the fuzzball on the bed. 

"Is that a baby griffon?!" 

Kivela smirked at the sudden rise of excitement in Leliana's voice at seeing the baby version of such a creature, "Yes it is."

"So this is the reason you had me send such a swift message to the Wardens at Weisshaupt?"

"That would be Cullen there Leliana, I didn't want to send the message." Kivela frowned as Leliana looked towards Cullen with a brow raised before turning back to Kivela who soon scooped up the fuzzy baby griffon which yawned sleepily and watched as it curled in tight to Kivela's chest as the young woman sat upon the bed with a smile on her face as it slept peacefully in Kivela's embrace. "But I doubt you came for curiosities sake."

"Your right, I have a letter that came back just as quickly from Grey Wardens at Weisshaupt."

"And?" Cullen looked towards the Spymaster then.

"While they are skeptical of the baby's existence, they have said that it will take time for them to find the old records on griffons and their feeding habits and have promised to send copies of what they find with one of their archivists as soon as possible. They also believe, from what you described of the baby, Commander, that he or she?" Leliana glanced to Kivela who spoke without even bothering to look up from the baby in her arms. 

"He. It's a male."

"I would ask when you checked but I'm likely to guess it while I was out giving Leliana the letter," Cullen spoke from where he was seated as Kivela smile before Leliana spoke again.

"Either way. The Wardens believe that he may roughly be a month to three months old and should soon be having his adolescent feathers coming in."

"Oh that's going to be fun. Soon enough I'll be having to clean up fluffy down from everything, bad enough that the fur portion of his body will be shedding like crazy," Kivela sighed as she shook her head.

"They did suggest to test different meats to see what he favors."

"So Griffons are carnivores?"

"The Griffons of old were," Leliana nodded as Kivela finally looked up and over at Cullen who shook his head.

"Told you," Kivela smirked as Cullen gave her an unamused looked while she scooted back on the bed and crossed her legs to lay the baby griffon down carefully watching as he slowly uncurled to rest a tiny front foot on her left leg, as he stretched out his head to rest it on the same leg. 

"Have you come up with a name for him?"

"Not yet. I have two in mind, but I want to wait and see what his personality is before naming him." Leliana smiled in understanding at that.

"Then I will leave you and the Commander to continue doing what it was you were before I arrived." With that Leliana turned and left Kivela and Cullen alone as the two began to discuss what to do with the young griffon.

****

Roughly half a month later found Kivela watching the griffon flap his wings and smiled, "Oh little one, the day you do fly will be amazing to watch." She smiled as she lay on her bed with the griffon giving a "trill" before walking towards her and finding himself falling head first onto the bed as he tripped over his own tail and watched in amusement as he hissed at his own tail. "Oh you silly little thing, hissing at your own tail won't make it go away." Kivela told him as she reached out to begin petting him earning a look of wonder before he closed his eyes half way and began to purr in contentment. In just half a month, Kivela had noted that since they had been feeding him ram's meat (one of the most nutritional meats on Thedas), he had gone from being tiny and covered in fuzzy down to roughly the size of a full-grown Mabari War hound with feathers (and fur) that were almost starless night black all while his eyes went from that baby blue to a sharp almost amber-gold (which in turn reminded her of Cullen's eye color though she would never admit that outloud when the man was around). Kivela had seen enough Mabari to know what they looked like, plus she had been able to identify them right off the bat thanks to her knowledge of the current Age that Thedas was in, though her knowledge of griffons and the speed at which they grew was greatly lacking much to her frustration, but she could venture to guess that this griffon was likely older then what even the Wardens could guess him to be. 

"Did he just hiss at his own tail?" Cullen asked as he finally looked up from the paperwork that he was working on as he noted Kivela laying on her side, one leg bent at the knee as she lay on his bed with the griffon purring as she pet him (and Cullen would be lying if he didn't have a momentary flash of the things he would do to her right there if she allowed him too).

"He did," Kivela smiled gently as Cullen allowed the image of her laying on his bed to imprint itself in his mind (even if he didn't want it too, it would anyway). Cullen smiled as his attention then turned to the young griffon who was now laying on his stomach, wings tucked in with tail curled around to his side and beak in the air as Kivela began to scratch under his chin, earning even louder purrs from him as his golden eyes closed fully. It had originally been Cullen who had pointed out that the griffon was now as large as a full grown Mabari, as unlike Kivela, Cullen wasn't always around the griffon who honestly followed Kivela around as if he were a lost puppy (not that she minded), thus it gave him the advantage of seeing how large the griffon was growing. "I still think he's older then what we and the Wardens think he is. He shouldn't have gotten this big within half a month of being found and fed ram meat."

Cullen returned his attention to the papers on his desk, "Have you talked to Solas about it?"

"I asked him about it and it confused him as well. He promised to look into as soon as he is able, but he believes that I may be right in thinking that Aaldir is older then what he seems."

Cullen chanced a glance up then, "You finally named him?"

"Not so much as me naming him as him picking the name. I was listing off all the characters I used to write about in my youth and when I got to Aaldir's name he responded to it. Originally wanted to see if he would respond to the name Alistair but I don't think the King of Ferelden would appreciate that very much."

Cullen laughed loudly now at that thought, "You never know, he might. It's not every day a person finds out that they and a griffon share the same name." Cullen could only imagine the King's reaction to that and, as if a wild hare had gotten up his ass, Cullen leaned forward and pulled over a blank parchment and began to write a letter to the King of Ferelden. As much as the former Templar wanted to see the King's reaction, a letter would (sadly) have to do for the time being. After he finished writing the letter, Cullen turned to speak to Kivela only to note that both she and Aaldir had fallen asleep and couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. Shaking his head, Cullen stood and went over to wrap a blanket over the two and watched as Aaldir cuddled closer to Kivela. Watching as the two slept, a part of Cullen wondered what Kivela was dreaming of but found himself leaning over her and laying the gentlest of kisses upon her forehead before he pulled away to return to the reports he had to work on. 


End file.
